Li Daokui, one of China's leading economists, agreed there were still risks to a sustained global economic recovery. "I do worry about potential risks in 2013," he said. He also said the U.S. economy posed a risk, with problems being pushed back.

"In Europe we've seen some meaningful progress through promises delivered by politicians. In the U.S. my observation is that not even promises..are made. All we have seen is that the difficult problems are pushed back," Daokui said, referring to the ongoing discussions to raise the debt ceiling and last year's struggle to avert the so-called fiscal cliff.

"I do worry that the scenario of July 2011 may come back in 2013," Daokui argued. "If that happens a nasty dynamic will travel through the financial markets and very negative consequences will be felt in many parts of the world." (Read more: CEOs Struggle for Survival at Davos)

Daokui placed a 30 percent chance on a possible re-visiting of the 2011 crisis.

CNBC's Maria Bartiromo reports from Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum, where CNBC will be interviewing some of the biggest names in business. She will be talking to George Soros, Jamie Dimon, Bill Gates and others.